The Rising Star Outreach luncheon with Becky Douglas was so fun! So many wonderful people showed up there to hear about RSO while 95 golfers were on the Golf Course in Heber at the 1st Annual Shawn Bradley Red Ledges Golf Tournament.
We smile when we remember that Shawn really spoiled things for Tal in India because he had gone the year before we got there. When they saw Tal who is 6’9”at the Rising Star school and the leprosy affected colonies, they wanted to know where that REALLY tall (7’4”) guy was!
Sadly Shawn’s dad (61) had fallen off a roof two week earlier and died. An autopsy showed that he had a heart attack before he fell. Bless Shawn for carrying on with the tournament. We had a nice chat about all the things you learn from unexpected disasters in life.
This is the only picture I got of the whole thing! Duh!
Hours later we were on a plane to LA for an EO meeting with a terrific and diverse group of EOers for a parenting seminar and then we took off for Orange County to take a look at the new haunts of Noah and Kristi who are moving there in about 7 weeks.
I love California but I never know where I am when I’m there. i guess that will change when they actually move there and I get to drive around and figure it out!
After being in Noah and Kristi’s new neck of the woods last week, we are now on the other coast in Eli and Julie’s beautiful new condo in Washington D.C. even as I write. They are on Capitol Hill and from their roof you can see the Capitol
The Washington Monument
The Jefferson Monument
And they can almost see the games at the new National’s stadium which is literally three blocks from their house.
Their new condo has about 50 feet of glass on the 11th floor so all you have to do is look out to get inspired! Here is their beautiful new kitchen:
Of course the first order of business was to find a good sushi restaurant and indeed we did!
The Kobe beef burger was to die for (no pun intended)
The next morning, the most important thing was finding those clay courts so Eli and Dad could play! Dad is headed for the grass court national tournament in New Jersey next week so he was really going working hard to get ready! Eli was cool as a cucumber as dad shows off his six pack!
Besides a new house, Eli and Julie are sporting a new car! What wonders two incomes can provide! We so excited for them!
It’s a Junior Phaeton!!! (except that it’s spotlessly clean inside and out).
Eli is the new ward mission leader and yesterday we got to go to the baptism of a terrific young mother! What a ward! Two people were confirmed new members of the church today in sacrament meeting. One was the bright boyfriend of a darling girl named Charity, who has just recovered from a double lung transplant and is an opera singer. They are in their late 20s or early thirties. She’s still singing. Such an amazing couple!
After a wonderful time meeting so many people who love Eli and Jule at the ward we had the rare privilege of speaking once more at the Washington DC Temple Visitor’s Center which is directed by our faithful neighbors from Salt Lake, Bob and Mary Rich. Mary prepared a scrumptous dinner for us at their apartment and we were joined by Eli and Julie and Brent and Esther Jane Ward whom we were delighted to see!
There was a terrific audience of about 400 and we had so much fun! The best part is meeting friends of our kids. We found friends that knew every one of our kids, including Josh’s friend from High School, Shannon, who has 6 kids! Two of our missionaries who are now grandparents were there too! FUN!
At the center, there was an incredible display of amazing sculptures called “The Healing Power of the Savior” which included absolutely gorgeous sculptures of the poignant moments in the life of the Savior. Somehow I think the artist (we think her name is Angela Johnson) is related to Shawni’s Dave. Can’t remember how. Anyway, she is a genius!
The Garden of Gethsemane
The view of Lazarus as he sat up in his tomb.
It was amazing!
I couldn’t finish this last night because we had to watch a third set tie breaker at the US Open at 1:30 a.m.
And now…another Labor Day has come and gone! We had breakfast this morning with a darling couple who are friends of Julie and Eli. He is Lorraine Swifts’ nephew and she is from Utah and has a dance degree from Julliard. They are expecting a baby in January. So fun to talk to them!
This afternoon we went…of course…to a Nats game! They played the Mets and I got to see my first grand slam by a guy who just came up from the minors 6 days ago. Baseball isn’t my favorite sport but it was great to be there with Dad (who insisted that we go and then promptly fell asleep) as well as darling Eli and Julie!
Now were squished onto a bus loaded with holiday revelers going home to NYC! Noah and Kristi, McKay, Lyla and Jacobson AND Tal and Anita, here we come!
1 comment:
Sure looks like fun!!
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